Thursday, January 5, 2012

2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Mike Nesseth

Who is this?Phillies Minor League Pitcher Mike Nesseth.What is this? An autograph card from 2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition.Where'd I get it? I got this card signed by Mike at the 2011 New York-Penn League All-Star game in Lowell, MA. How much did it cost? I got this card when I bought two sets of 2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition last year.

Why is this so special? Mike Nesseth was the Philadelphia Phillies Seventeenth-Round pick in the 2010 MLB Draft out of Nebraska. After undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2010, Nesseth made his professional debut with the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League, a Short-Season A-League, where he pitched well, posting a 3.21 ERA.

So, why is Nesseth notable? Perhaps it is because he has an excellent signature. But it could also be because of the way that he reminds some people of another Phillies pitcher.

That would be Roy Halladay, one of the best pitchers in baseball. And while the comparison is grossly unfair, it's also one that's heard repeatedly around the Carpenter Complex these days. Little Doc, they call him.

The physical resemblance is unmistakable. Halladay is listed at 6-6, 230; Nesseth at 6-5, 210. They both have short, sandy colored hair. Their deliveries have much in common.

They're even both represented by the same agents at CAA Sports.

And then there's this: Like Halladay, Little Doc has also become known as a workout fiend. "He's outstanding, one of the best workers and competitors we have in our system," assistant general manager, player development and scouting Chuck LaMar said."

It might be quite awhile before Nesseth joins Doc in the Phillies rotations, but if it does happen, remember: you (probably) read it here first.

A quick note on links

I'm only putting autograph-related links in this blogroll. However, if you have a blog or a collector site not specifically about autographs, but with an autograph page or an "autograph" label on your blog posts, I'll put that link here.